Letters & Liaisons
by NotDoneAbusingYou
Summary: Mary returns to Scotland, the two Queens keep in touch through letters.
1. Leaving

Catherine couldn't sleep. Mary was leaving for Scotland the next day and she thought maybe if she never went to sleep...tomorrow would never come. She knew it was crazy, but she couldn't help it. The thought of her leaving scared the hell out of her. She'd known since the moment Francis told her he was dying that Mary would be leaving her soon, but it never felt real to her until now. Just like Francis' death really hadn't felt real until that first morning without him. It was the strangest thing. She couldn't really pinpoint when it had happened, but somehow, she'd become very attached to her. In away she hadn't predicted. Of course they were close when she was a girl, she'd loved her, she never really stopped to be honest, but this was different. it wasn't just love for the child she'd raised, it was the love for her friend, her family. She'd become almost closer than family as of late, something Catherine never thought possible, especially for someone whom she thought, for at least a little while, that she could never forgive. No one in her whole life had ever fought as hard for her as Mary had, even after all she'd done to her. After all they had done to each other. Somehow she knew, she understood. Mary always understood, even when she didn't agree, she could see the reason behind it. The one thing her own children could never do.

Mary couldn't sleep either. She would have to leave the only home she'd ever really known, the only people she had ever really thought of as family, she'd have to leave Catherine. They shared something strange the two of them. A bond of sorts that was hard to explain, but was easily understood by both. She had cared for her as a child in ways her own mother never had. She'd also shown more sympathy toward her the times when she needed a mother the most. Times when Marie de Guise had turned a cold shoulder to emotion. She'd always felt safe when Catherine was near, which was an odd thing to say about a woman who'd once tried to kill her. But now Mary was terrified. She wasn't quite sure what she would do without Catherine. How was she supposed to function through a day without her scheming and sarcastic remarks? How would she get through the hard times without knowing that Catherine had her back when things got rough? Because she always had. Catherine was a force of nature when she was on opposite sides of her, but even then, she'd never let another person hurt her. She'd always protected her from the world, even when she wasn't protected from her. She had been the only thing to keep her going since Francis had died. Suddenly she felt like a six year old girl all over again, waiting for her mother to leave her in a strange place.

Catherine laid on her side, eyes shut, trying to hard to sleep, when she heard the door creak open. She sat up just a little to see Mary standing there. They looked at each other and they understood, just as always. Catherine lifted the blanket and Mary climbed in with her. She put her head on Catherine's shoulder.

"Catherine I'm..." she began.

"I know." she said simply as she placed her head on top of Mary's and hugged her.

The next day, much of the court gathered in the throne room to say their goodbyes to Mary. Mary had tried to say goodbye to Catherine earlier, in private, but she wouldn't let her. Catherine stood off to the side and watched her tearful farewell to her cast off lady in waiting Greer and few others. Mary had said goodbye to everyone except Catherine now. Mary turned to her and went to speak, but Catherine turned away, pretending she hadn't noticed and clinked a glass to get the rooms attention.

"We say goodbye to Queen Mary today. She was not our Queen for very long, but that did not diminish the impact she had on all of us. She and my son, your late King, did all they could to rule with love and honesty. Somethings many rulers tend to forget exist. Somethings, that because of her example, I will do my best to continue on. You may be hundreds of miles away Mary, but your prescience will always be felt here in French court. Here's to Queen Mary. May you see a safe return." she said lifting her glass. She gave a sad look to Mary and Mary gave one back. They understood.

"It's time to go." Bash said as he came up next to Mary. She nodded and walked toward Catherine.

"Catherine I have to..." she began. Catherine ignored her and turned to Charles, who had been standing near her.

"Charles, I believe Mary has to be going. I will see her off to her boat." She said. Charles nodded.

"Catherine, can we just..." Mary began.

"Come, my dear, you don't want to keep them all waiting for you." Catherine interrupted her again. Mary sighed and followed after her. She understood.

The ride in the carriage was nearly silent. Every time Mary started to say goodbye, Catherine would change the subject. So she just gave up. As they got closer to the warf, Mary thought she saw a few tears fall from Catherine's eyes for a fleeting moment and then they were gone. Mary squeezed her hand. Catherine squeezed it back. They understood.

When they finally arrived at the boat, they sat there for a moment as the servants unloaded Mary's belongings. They stared at each other wanting to speak but not knowing what to say.

"We should probably get out of the carriage at some point." Mary said. Catherine nodded and opened the door. When they stepped out, Bash was standing there, directing the servants.

"It should only be a few minutes." He told her and walked off to see their things onto the boat. Catherine took a deep breath.

"Mary I..." she started.

"You don't have to Catherine." Mary said. "I understand." For once, Catherine didn't think she did understand.

"No. I do." She paused a moment to gather the right words. "I've never been good at this sort of thing."

"I've never been good at goodbyes either."

"No. Don't say that. This isn't goodbye. We'll write, we'll visit...This isn't goodbye." she explained, taking Mary's hands.

"I've never been on my own before. There's always been someone else telling me what to do. With all the freedom that provides, it's also awfully terrifying."

"I've told you before, you are strong. You can do this."

"If I'm strong, it's only because of you. Without you pushing me and...teaching me..."

"No one can give you anything that you don't already have inside you Mary." She said putting a hand on each side of her face. Tears started to form in both of their eyes.

"France was my home for most of my life."

"And it still is. As long as I live and breath, this is your home. No matter how long you're gone, you'll always have a place here. You're still my family. Whenever you feel alone, just remember that."

"I will miss you Catherine. I think I'll even miss you trying to kill me."

"Mary, I never wanted to hurt you, not ever. I hated having to..."

"I know. I know." She assured. Then Catherine hugged her and Mary responded by holding on for dear life. Tears fully streaming now. "I have no one to hold onto when I let go this time." She kissed Mary's head, then put her forehead on hers.

"You are capable of great things Mary. I believe in you." She pulled back, but didn't let go.

"I'm never going to see you again am I?" Catherine looked at her sadly. She didn't know how to answer that.

"Everything is loaded onto the boat." Bash said, interrupting them, and started to walk away again.

"You. Wait." Catherine said. "Come back here." Bash did as she asked. "You had better not come back until you are sure Mary is safe and secure in Scotland. I'm trusting you with her safety. Don't disappoint me."

"Of course." He said, bowing just slightly.

"Good. Then I hope to see your safe return." She said. He half smiled at her and turned to go.

"I don't know what the future holds for me, but today, I don't know how to get on that boat." She kissed Mary's cheek and then wiped it away.

"Just keep your eyes on me." Mary squeezed her hand and turned to board the ship. She got on and went straight to the stern, looking out at Catherine as they pulled up the anchor. The boat started pulling away and Mary started crying even harder, but she never took her eyes off of Catherine.

After a few moments, it was becoming harder to see the boat, but Catherine wasn't ready to let it go just yet. She rushed to a small ledge that hung over the water and looked out, wind blowing her hair back. She could still clearly see Mary's face from there. She choked on her tears a little then. They looked out at each other...and they understood...and then it was only blur.


	2. Left Behind

Catherine had stood at that pier for a long while past the time that she could still see Mary's boat. It hadn't felt real. Greer was strolling by the pier on her way back to her place of establishment, when she spotted Catherine.

"How long has she been there?" Greer asked the guard that stood at the carriage, patiently waiting for her.

"She hasn't moved since the boat left." he said. Greer nodded and slowly made her way towards Catherine. She wasn't sure what to say. She had never really held a conversation with Catherine before.

"Catherine?" she said quietly from behind her. Catherine turned her head slightly toward her voice but didn't look at her.

"She's really gone." she said. Greer couldn't tell if that had been a statement or a question. It was so strange to see her this way.

"I...know you...miss her. But you have to go home." Greer heard herself say it, but it sounded so odd. Catherine would miss Mary, she could see that clearly. What a foreign concept.

"I keep losing people..." she said. Greer felt bad for her all of the sudden. She stepped a bit closer and gently put a hand on her shoulder.

"Charles needs you." she said. That seemed to jolt her out of her trance. She turned and looked at Greer and nodded a bit. She looked out at the water one last time and then started walking back toward the carriage. Halfway there she stopped and turned back to look at Greer.

"Are you coming?" she said.

"You...want me to come with you?" she questioned.

"Mary returned to you your room in the castle, did she not?" Catherine said flatly. Again she was unsure if that was a question or not.

"But you're the regent now..." she started, but then stopped when seeing Catherine's reaction. "Thank you." she finished simply.

"I'm not doing it for you..." she answered and then turned sharply and entered the carriage. Greer knew what she meant and she joined her in the carriage.

When Catherine arrived back at the castle, she went straight to her room. She opened the door and threw her cloak onto a nearby chair. Then she turned her head to see a folded piece of paper on her pillow. She walked over and picked up to see it held Mary's seal. She looked at it curiously and sat down on the bed to open it.

 _Dear Catherine,_

 _I have tried and failed so many times to tell you goodbye. You've been very diligent on avoiding the subject, so I'm writing you this in case you prove to be too stubborn to allow me the chance to say what I want to._

 _You've been my enemy, my mother-in-law, my friend, my ally, my competitor and my teacher. You have helped me, hurt me, betrayed me and healed me. You have been so much of my world and I never even realized it. Through it all, you never wavered in being the person who grounded me and kept me moving. Whether it be a lesson you taught through love or through hate, you will always be with me in every decision I make. I will always hear your voice in my head reminding me of those lessons. I have called you by all those things that I've said, but never by the one thing that you truly were to me...mother. It's the only thing a person can be called who can go through what we did together and still come out on the other end not hating. Someone who protected me, even when I didn't deserve to be protected. Someone who was my guidepost, even when we were at our worst. I pray that this will not be the last I see of you, but I know in my heart that today may be the final time I lay eyes on you. I hope this letter isn't the only goodbye I am allowed, but if it is, I want to you to know that I love you. I didn't realize that until today. God be with you._

 _MarieR_

 _PS: Please try not to poison anyone ._

Catherine's eyes were dripping with tears now, with the smallest of smiles at the end. She would in fact try not to...for Mary. She wiped her eyes and looked around the room. She had never felt so alone.

After sitting in silence for a little while, Catherine found herself wandering the castle, only to look up and see she'd wound up in the old part of the castle. She knew how she ended up there. She opened a door and went inside. It was the room where Francis had used to make his swords. They were still there. She ran her fingers over one that was sitting on the table, then she picked up and examined a few of his tools. He did good work. They were beautiful. Catherine had always admired art, and truthfully these were art. A wave of pride, followed by one of sadness washed over her. She looked over at a trunk that sat on the floor and wondered if there were anymore hidden away in there. She opened it slowly. Her eyes were met with a bunch of clutter. She sifted through it a bit and then something caught her eye. She pulled it out only to discover that it was a child's doll. It was Mary's. She'd almost forgotten this room used to be hers when she was little. A tear rolled down her cheek. She sifted through the box some more and found more of her things and Francis's as well. Toys and other odds and ends. She hugged the doll to her chest as she realized there was another sword in the box afterall. A wooden toy sword. She put her hand over it and she could no longer keep her emotions in. The tears came rolling out like they never had before.

 _My Dearest Mary,_

 _You haven't even been gone a whole day and I already miss you. It's been like losing Francis all over again. While you were here, it was almost like he still was too. He loved you so much, it was as if I could still feel his presence with yours. Now, It just feels empty here. I know I have to keep going for Charles and the others, but I feel like I'm sifting through mud._

 _I read your letter and I'm sorry I made it so hard for you to say goodbye, it was only because I couldn't accept the truth of your leaving. Reading it made me sad, but also so happy that you didn't leave here believing that I hated you. After everything that happened, I always wondered if you really knew that I never wanted to hurt you. I feel that we waisted so much time at each others throats. If only I hadn't sent you away when you were young, maybe things would have been different. I regret that more than anything. I hope you have arrived in Scotland safely. I haven't poisoned anyone yet. I promise._

 _With Love, Catherine_


	3. Lost

It had been only a week since Mary's departure and Catherine was already dealing with a hundred different problems. Many of them from her own people. She feared that she would never be accepted as regent, and would forever be battling threats to her throne until the day she died. More importantly, she feared that day would come all too soon, before Charles would come of age, before he could learn how to rule properly. And then what would become of her family?

It was easier when Mary was with her. Easier for both, when they could stand up for each other, with each other. Together they could rid themselves of any threat...but divided... She knew she was going to miss her, but she had no idea how much she was going to need her. Especially not this soon. If the threat ever became big enough, Charles's favor would not be enough to help her. She would need an ally and Mary was the only one she had. No much help if she was in another country, another country where she would face similar problems, being hated by her own people.

As she sat at her desk, neck deep in paperwork, a knock came.

"Enter." she said. Leith entered and handed her sealed piece of paper.

"A letter from Scotland your majesty." he said.

"Mary's returned my letter already?" she said with a smile.

"No, majesty. It's from her brother." he said. Catherine's brow furrowed.

"Her brother? Why on earth would he be writing me?" she said taking the letter. Sh opened it.

 _Your Majesty Queen Regent,_

 _It is with great sadness that I write to inform you of my sister, the queen's disappearance. I and a small contingent of guards awaited her arrival for two days, and her ship never arrived. We searched the coast line and found pieces of driftwood we believe to be the remains of her boat. No sign of her or her body, or that of any of her ship's crew, have been found. We fear the worst, as the amount of wreckage is great._

 _James Stewart, Earl of Moray_

Catherine's stomach drooped as her hand went to her lips, trying to repress a sob. It couldn't be. There had to be some mistake. Her ship must have been delayed from a storm, or perhaps they landed at the wrong port. No bodies were found, she could be fine. She had to be.

"Your majesty, is everything alright?" Leith asked off her obviously pained expression.

"It's Mary. She's...gone missing. Her ship never arrived. Only pieces of wood were found." she said.

"My god. Is she..." he began to ask.

"No. She can't be. They didn't find any bodies. She must be alright. She must..." she sniffled back a tear. Leith felt bad for her, but also quite out of sorts. Not quite knowing the decorum in such a situation, he awkwardly patted her shoulder.

"I'm sure she's alright." he said. She shirked away from his touch a bit, feeling regret that she'd let her emotions be so obvious to him.

"I have to go tell my son at once, his brother was also on that ship." she said, trying to act like it hadn't effected her as it had.

"I could..." Leith began gesturing toward the door, insinuating that he could deliver the news.

"No, no. He should hear it from me." she insisted, trying to compose herself. Leith nodded and exited the room. She looked at the letter again. 'We fear the worst.' All those months trying to find a safe way back so that the protestants wouldn't find her, only to be found by a shipwreck instead. The memory of the day she arrived flashed in her head, the small child she saw getting off the boat, then she saw her face as she sailed away just days prior. My god, what if she was really gone? She knew she would probably never see her again, but some small part of her had held out hope she was wrong. Now...she was truly gone from her life forever. Not even a letter to be had. Dear god. Her letter. Mary would never see the letter she had written. Somehow that struck a cord and she began to cry. She sucked up her tears and wiped her face. She had to compose herself for Charles's sake. She stood and straightened her dress and took a deep breath before making her way to see her son.

She knocked on his door, opening it simultaneously. He looked up from his desk.

"Mother, I'm glad you're here, I wanted to...wait...what's wrong? What's happened?" he said realizing something was off about her demeanor.

"I...I just received word from Mary's brother in Scotland. Her ship never landed at it's destination. Pieces of it floated up onto shore. No bodies, alive or dead, were recovered." she said as she watched her words sink in.

"Bash was on that boat too." he said. She nodded. "It's not right. She stayed to help us and now..."

"I know..."

"But they found no bodies...perhaps they're alright." he reasoned.

"It's possible." she said, not really believing it.

"Then we must believe it so." he said. She nodded again. He rose and left the room, as she stared after him, worried he wouldn't accept it if they were to learn their bodies were found. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then made trip to the chapel to pray for Mary and the others. She fell to her knees harder than she had planned, her emotions weakening her.

When she was done, she decided there may be something more she could do than just praying.

 _To The Earl of Moray,_

 _I am disheartened by your letter and wish to help you in your search for your sister, and my dear friend. I will send as many ships as I can spare to search the areas surrounding your port. I will do this as well as send any other aid I am able._

 _Queen Catherine, Regent of France_

A few days earlier, in Scotland, some ways south of the place where pieces of Mary's boat were found. Mary, Bash and Narcisse, the only surviving passengers on Mary's boat had been found by a Scottish clan and, not knowing who they had discovered on the shore, had taken them in and gave them a place to sleep for the night. They pretended they were merely high born visitors, on their way to the castle, but they weren't believed. The clan leader could tell that Mary was more than just a Lady, and Mary knew something was amiss with this Clan leader. He knew more about 'Mary' than he should.

So Mary had Bash do what he does best and snoop around, while she tried to charm some of the men into telling her what she wanted to know...and it worked. She'd been able to get one of his drunken clan members to spill the beans. This clan leader happened to be responsible for the attack on her and Francis that had resulted in his death. Now they had to find a way to the castle before they were discovered, all the while, trying to figure out a way to take this clan leader down.


	4. Lines

Mary and Bash were still trapped in the company of Francis's killer for almost two days when they finally formulated a plan to take him down. Mary seduced him to get him alone, while Bash created a distraction by starting a fire. While everyone scrambled, Mary took her shot, stabbing him with the first available thing she could get her hands on. She ran out with the rest of the group and they stole two horses, making their way to the castle.

When Mary arrived at what was now to be her home for the rest of her life, she discovered that she'd made it just in time, as if she'd been any later, she wouldn't have been Queen at all. She'd barged in on them just about to vote to dissolve the monarchy. Once she got things settled the group dispersed, leaving only Mary and Bash and her brother James in the room. James took a long look at her.

"What on earth happened to you? You've been missing for over a week. We combed the whole area for you and didn't see a trace." James asked.

"A band of criminals found us and took us in. We pretended to be someone else until we could escape." Mary said.

"Escape? You're covered in blood." he pointed out.

"As it turned out, the man that lead the group was the same rebel who was responsible for Francis's murder." she said. James understood and nodded.

"Well, let's get your room ready and get you some clean clothes." he said as he walked them into the hall and to one of the servants.

"You there, our Queen has returned to us. Get her settled in at once please, she's had a long journey. And take care of her friend as well." he told her. The servant nodded and took Mary and Bash to their chambers.

After Mary got a hot bath and some fresh clothes, James came to her room to speak with her.

"your people will want to see their Queen as soon as possible, so I've arranged for a gathering tomorrow morning for the castle residents and we will have a more formal gathering in a few days when you've rested and had a chance to get used to your new surroundings. Dinner will be ready in about an hour, I'll send someone up to show you and Bash around the castle." James said. Mary nodded.

"All this is going to take some getting used to." she said and noticed a paper in his hand. "What's that?"

"Oh, I almost forgot. This letter came for you only the day after you were supposed to arrive. I was going to throw it out, luckily for you I forgot." he said handing it to her. She took it and looked down at it.

"It's from Catherine." she said. He nodded.

"I told the guards to stay outside your room at all times until your used to things around here, in case you need anything. I'll leave you to get some rest. Fell free to bother me at anytime of course." he told her as he left her room.

Mary sat and read the letter that Catherine had sent out just after she had left. She smiled when she read it, that smile quickly reverting to a frown when she once again realized she may never see her again. She already felt unsafe not having her there. Like she was in the middle of the ocean with nothing under her but a piece of driftwood. She knew she should write her at once, knowing she likely believed her dead as well.

 _Dear Catherine,_

 _I'm writing to let you know that I am safe. My boat did crash, but Sebastian and I survived. I also want you to know that the man responsible for Francis's murder is dead. He is the one that found us after the crash. I killed him with my own two hands. I hope it brings you some closure to know that your son's death has been avenged. I received your letter and I miss you and France dearly already. It's terribly cold and lonely here. I hope things are well for you. I will write again soon, when I'm settled in._

 _With Love,_

 _MarieR_

A week later, in France, Catherine sat sadly looking out her window awaiting Greer. She had called for her a few hours earlier. She barely turned at all when she entered the room.

"Well, I'm here. I must admit I was a little shocked when you called for me." she said. Catherine looked up.

"Yes, well, I have a proposal for you, please, sit." she said.

"A proposal? For me?" Greer asked as she pulled up as chair.

"While I was...away...earlier this year, many of my flying squad left under the assumption that I would not return. So now, you see, I'm left a little short handed, and being regent, I need more help than ever. So I'm offering you a job. You can bring your ladies here and they can learn to become part of my flying squad, and you can be there to help me manage them, since my time will be well taken up by more official duties. I pay better than any of your customers I assure you, and they will get to stay here instead of that run down old shack you call a tavern. What do you say?" Catherine explained.

"What's the catch?" Greer asked.

"No catch. I simply need help, and since your ladies have already proved useful in the past, and I'm sure you could use the extra money now, in your condition." she said. Greer subconsciously tried to cover her belly.

"How did you..."

"Please, my dear, it's painfully obvious. I don't know how you've managed to keep it from the rest of the world...Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. Do we have a deal?" Catherine said, eyebrows raised. Greer looked down at her belly and nodded.

"We have a deal. I'm sure my ladies will be quite pleased with this arrangement." she said.

"Majesty." said a messenger as the door opened. "A letter from Scotland." he handed Catherine the letter and Catherine's breath caught in her throat.

'Dear God, they've found her body haven't they? This is it, this is the confirmation of her death.' she thought as she reached up to take it. She looked down and the letter held Mary's seal. Her hand went to her chest in relief. Could it be? Was it really her? She opened it quickly, every word filled her with ease. She was okay. Bash was okay. And Francis's killer was gone. An added satisfaction she hadn't expected.

"Is everything alright?" Greer asked. Catherine laughed.

"Everything is better than alright. Mary is alive. She's alive." she said. Not caring about her demeanor. She dropped the letter on the desk in front of Greer and she picked it up.

"Thank God. It's a miracle." Greer said.

"You should go and retrieve your ladies. We have a lot of work to do with them." Catherine said after she had let the happy news sink in. Greer looked up, confused at her quick change of subject, but she nodded.

"Of course." She said. "I'll...be back with them as soon as I can gather them all together."

As soon as Greer left Catherine pulled out some paper and started a new letter to Mary.

 _Dearest Mary,_

 _I'm overjoyed to hear that you are safe. Believing you were lost to the sea, knowing I could not bring you home to be buried with Francis was almost too much to bare. But you are alive, and instead Francis's killer is gone from this earth. I only wish I could have been there to see it. I can't imagine how you were able to do it, but I'm proud of your bravery. I await your next letter._

 _Love,_

 _Catherine_


	5. Leverage

Both Queens had been struggling with their own enemies ever since Mary had gone back to Scotland. Each with their own countrymen against them. Their own people. Sometimes their own families. Mary was dealing with her brother who, having been regent for so long, thought he knew better than she did and ever decision was a struggle. And Catherine had to deal with a teenage boy as King. Normal teenage boys were hard enough to deal with, but then you add a crown...it's not pretty.

Catherine's enemies had been getting bolder by the day, and their attempts had been getting much closer to home. So much so that she was sure they had an informant somewhere in the castle. A guard, a servant, maybe even some Lord that had turned on them. All she knew for sure was that she had to find them fast, before the next attempt turned deadly. So she called Greer to see her.

"You sent for me?" she asked as she opened the door.

"Yes. I wanted to speak to you because I have a chance for your ladies to really prove themselves worth what I've been paying them for. There may even be a nice bonus it it for them if they do their job right." she told her as she entered her room.

"That sounds...big." she said.

"Oh, it is. I am almost certain our enemies have a spy here at court. Their job is simple. Find out who. Of course, this will require they work a bit more than usual." she said.

"Yes it would, and also put them in quite a bit of danger wouldn't it?" Greer asked suspiciously.

"I'm not denying it will be a risk. That's why the bonus. Besides, I wouldn't be forcing any of them to do it. It would be their choice, but they could be saving the whole of France by accomplishing this task. Who wouldn't want to be a hero if all they had to do was the same thing they always do and get paid well for it?" she explained.

"Alright, I will explain this all to them and let you know if they accept your offer. Was there anything else you needed your majesty?" she asked as she stood.

"No. That's it...except, for god's sake stop calling me 'your majesty'. Catherine will do just fine." she said as Greer reached the door.

"Very well." she said as she nodded and left the room. A servant entered just as she departed.

"A letter from Queen Mary, your grace." he said as he handed it to her and left.

 _Dear Catherine,_

 _It gives me great comfort to know if something should happen to me, that I will have you to make sure I find my way home to Francis. Lord knows I need that comfort now. I've only been here a short while and already my enemies have piled on top of me and I can't get out. If I appease one, I anger the others. It's a vicious cycle that I don't know how to break. I sometimes feel I can't even trust my own brother. He has fought for me time and again, yet, there are moments where I look into his eyes and they are cold. Scotland is cold. I yearn for the warmth of France, of my family. If Bash weren't here I wouldn't have a soul to even speak to about anything but business. I pray things are better for you than they are for me._

 _with love,_

 _Mary_

It was odd how similar their problems were. Although she supposed that all Queens had the same issues. A female ruler could never truly trust anyone, and everyone always wanted them dead. God forbid a woman tell a man what to do. The world might come to an end. She wished she had some advice to give her, but if she had known what to do, she wouldn't be as stuck as she was. But she got out some paper and started to write anyway.

Meanwhile, in Scotland, one of Mary's problems had become a much more urgent one. One of the rogue factions leading the revolt against her was now trying to bargain with her, and it wasn't a bargain that lent her favor whether she accepted or denied.

Mary was holding a meeting with her brother, Bash, and a handful of her lords.

"Your majesty, another request from Lord Tulach." said a messenger as he handed Mary a letter. Mary skimmed the letter as Bash attempted to look over her shoulder at it.

"What does he want now?" he asked.

"He says he will call a truce if I meet his demands. He wants me to allow one of his men onto my council as a show of faith. If I do this he will stop his threats and discontinue his attacks." she explained.

"He'll never back down, it's a trick. He wants to use his inside man to gain information." Bash said.

"I'm sure of it." she said. "But he says if I don't he will come for me directly. He's threatening my life.

"Mary, there is no way he can get to you here. He doesn't have enough men or resources to get into the castle. If he did, he wouldn't need to get a man inside." said James.

"Unless, he aims to use Mary as a puppet instead. If they can't get rid of her they will force her to do their bidding." suggested Bash _,_ as a second messenger came in and handed Mary another letter. She quickly read over it.

 _My Dearest Mary,_

 _I am sorry to hear how things are in Scotland. I wish I could report better news here, but I am in just as terrible a position as you. Enemies from every direction. The only thing you can do is brave through it and do what you think is best. Don' t worry about making a mistake, you will. Everyone does. Yes, even me. All you can do is what feel is right in the moment. Always be willing to make the hard decisions and even if you lose you will emerge victorious. They cannot take your strength from you if you never stop fighting._

 _All my love,_

 _Catherine_

She thought then, what would Catherine do?

"Are you sure they cannot get into this castle?" Mary asked James.

"His men have diminished to nearly half in the last two weeks, this is simply a last ditch effort to scare you. He hopes you'll give in before you realize he has lost his footing." he explained.

"If this is true then he has no leverage against me. Turn down his offer and I will stay inside with extras guards until we have caught him." she ordered. James bowed and left to do as he was asked.

"Are you sure that's wise?" asked Bash.

"It is the only option I have, I cannot risk giving into his demands." she told him. "If he does get to me, it will still be a better choice than letting him take hold of this country. I will not be blackmailed. Nothing good comes from allowing yourself to be controlled." she said, remembering what happened when Francis allowed himself to be blackmailed. He was trying to keep her safe, but she didn't have anyone else to worry about. No husband or child for her decision to hurt. No family but James, and he could take care of himself. She had only herself to fear for, and she was willing to die if it saved her country.


	6. Life and Death

Catherine had had Greer's ladies, and her own, working overtime trying to figure out who their spy was. They'd stuck their noses into everyone's business that they could, from servants to guards to noblemen alike. She felt as though she was getting close to something, but she wasn't sure what. She kept getting very solid bits of information...solid...but small. They weren't enough to piece this mess together. There almost seemed to be a larger presence as of late. Greer's ladies had surely been doing their jobs well, but it wasn't enough. She needed a new plan. So she there she found herself, pacing, nearly wearing holes in the floor. She'd been there like that almost all day when Greer came knocking.

"Enter." she said. Greer creaked open the door. She already had a feeling she knew why she was called there.

"You've called on me to discontinue the mission you've set my ladies to haven't you?" she asked.

"I'm terribly sorry, I know you need the money, but it's just not getting me anywhere." she said.

"It's just as well. It couldn't very well last forever now, could it.?" Greer stated.

"I'll continue to pay them for the rest of the month, but then I'm afraid this well has run dry." she told her.

"That's very generous of you." she said as the door opened again.

"Word from Scotland Majesty." said a guard as he entered and handed her a letter, then left.

"Oh, good. You can stay and find out what Mary has to tell us." she said as she broke the seal and unfolded it and read it silently.

 _Dearest Catherine,_

 _Your last letter came to me at a time when I needed it most. Your words gave me the drive to make an important decision in not giving into the demands of a man looking to threaten me. I hope I have made the right choice for Scotland, but more importantly, I hope no one else ends up paying for it if it was the wrong one. Thank you for giving me the courage I needed. As you always have._

 _All my love,_

 _MarieR_

"It seems our Mary has received some threats as of late. She's decided not to give into them. She's worried that she may have made the wrong choice." she shook her head and pointed a finger at Greer. "Not giving in is never the wrong choice. Always fight for what you believe in no matter what...that's what I'll tell her." Greer half smiled at her. Worried for Mary, but glad that even now, Catherine was still trying to be on Mary's side. If someone had told her a year ago that she'd be sitting here, almost glad to be in the company of the Queen Regent, she would have told them they were mad. But here she was. She nodded.

"I'll let you get to your letter writing then. Wouldn't want to keep Mary waiting." she said as she stood. Just then, a sharp pain struck her.

"Are you alright?" Catherine asked. Greer's hand went to her stomach.

"I...I'm not su...oh" another pain went through her. Catherine's looked at her a moment.

"I do believe your in labor my dear. Sit back down and I'll call the court physician." she said.

"No. No. I don't want the whole court knowing, I've kept it a secret this long." she said.

"Very well I'll get you to the south keep where you're less likely to be heard. There's a midwife in town, not too far, she's helped with births in the castle before, I know her well enough to say you can trust her with your secret." she said holding out her hand to help her. She took her to a room and called for Leith to run to town and bring back the midwife. Catherine went back to her room to continue to work on a new plan. After a time, Leith came back to her chambers.

"Your majesty, Madam Greer has given birth to a baby girl. She wants to know if you could go to her. She wishes to speak with you." he said. Catherine nodded and stood to leave.

"Thank you Leith, you may return to your post now." she said as she left. Catherine went ro see Greer as requested. When entered the room Greer was sitting in bed holding her baby girl.

"I'm here. Though I'm not sure why you asked to see me." Catherine said.

"I wanted to thank you for all your help...and tell you that I can't continue with our arrangement." She said.

"You've decided to keep the baby haven't you?" She asked. Greer nodded.

"Rose, her name is Rose...I can't stay here in the castle with her and continue being a madam. It's not the life I want for my daughter." She said.

"I understand completely. What will you do?" she asked.

"I don't know. I haven't figured that part out yet." she said, looking down at the baby in her arms. Catherine sighed.

"I have. You'll go back to Scotland, be with Mary. She can pardon you, and you can return to being her lady." she said.

"But how would I get there?" she wondered.

"You let me worry about that. We'll have you on a boat as soon as you're feeling up to it." she said as she turned to leave. "Now you get some rest and we'll talk about this later."

"Catherine," Greer began. Catherine turned around. "I don't know how to thank you."

"Then don't." she said as she left.

Back in Scotland, some weeks later, Mary was discovering that she hadn't made the right choice after all. The threats and attacks continued and not only that, got worse.

Mary, Bash, James and her council were sitting around a table discussing what to do about the situation when a messenger entered.

"Your majesty, a letter from Queen Catherine...and also one from Lord Tulach." he added the last part a bit more dramatically and then left. Mary eyed Bash and James, worried about the letters contents. She opened the one from Lord Tulach slowly and began reading it's contents.

"Another threat?" Bash asked.

"No. I believe this one is a promise." she said handing it to him. He gazed over it and then passed it to James. "Now, instead of threatening me, he is threatening those closest to me." She shook her head. "It's one thing to sacrifice myself, but to let him take others lives for my decision...I can't loose anyone else."

"Mary, I told you this castle is safe. There is no safer place in all of Scotland I assure you." James said.

"Then lock down the castle, no one is to come or to go, except by my leave and under heavy guard, until we find Lord Tulach and his minions and destroy them." The men went off to do as she's asked and she remained there in the council room alone. She sat, head in her hands for a moment, then looked up and began to open Catherine's letter.

 _My dear Mary,_

 _It's nice to know that even so far away, I can still be of some help to you. I wish there was more that I could do, but I have been getting threats of my own. Someone has gotten into the habit of leaving dead animals at the gates with nasty letters tied to their tails. My advisors think it's just an out of hand prank, but I don't agree, there is something ominous about them. It smells of something more dangerous to me. But no more talk of that, I have sent you a gift of sorts. I'm not sure if it will arrive before or after this letter, but lets just say it speaks for itself._

 _With Love,_

 _Catherine_

"A gift?" she wondered out loud. Then the door creaked open to reveal a guard.

"A traveler to see you from France your majesty. She was already inside the castle before the lock down order." he said.

"From France?" she asked then turned her head to look at the letter laying on the table and spoke more quietly to herself. "A gift of sorts that speaks for itself...oh Catherine." she faced the guard again. " Please let her in. After a beat, Greer walked in holding her bran new baby girl. "Greer!" She said, and went to her for a hug. "I don't understand, I thought you didn't want to come to Scotland."

"I didn't, at first. But once I met my little girl, I knew that the life a madam wasn't for me any longer." she explained.

"She's beautiful Greer." Mary said.

"Her name is Rose." Greer added. Mary smiled at her.

"Any other time in the world, I would be overjoyed to see you, but you could not have come at a worse time." Mary said.

"What do you mean? Does it have something to do with the lock down your guard just mentioned?" she asked.

"I have been under attack for some time..." Mary began.

"I know. Catherine has shared some of the content of your letters with me." she explained.

"Yes well, when I refused to comply with his demands he sent another threat. Only this time he threatens the people I love instead. You're not safe here. Not right now." Mary said.

"What can we do?" she asked worried.

"There isn't much you can do now that your here. You must stay in lock down with the rest of us." she explained.

Later that day, when the lock down had been completed, Mary sat a table with Greer and Bash eating lunch and catching up when a guard approached.

"Your majesty, the castle is secure. Every entrance has been sealed and surrounded by guards. Extra archers have been posted on the wall. Everyone has been given your orders and instructed not to leave their posts without a replacement." he said.

"Thank you. That will be all." she said. He started to walk away when another guard came running in.

"Your majesty! There has been a body spotted just outside the front gates!" he said.

"A body?" Bash asked.

"Yes. No one saw who left it." he elaborated.

"Well, were there any clues on the victim?" Mary wondered.

"We don't know majesty. We thought it best to alert you before retrieving it." he added.

"Let me go with you." she said.

"Mary you shouldn't. It could be a trap." Bash said.

"I agree." said Greer.

"Well, if it's a trap, then I need to end this. I will not let them terrorize my court any longer." she said.

The three of them raced outside, guards in tow, James meeting them on the way. Bash and James argued with her the whole way there about it being too dangerous. A group of guards where gathered around the gate, trying to see if there was any signs of the person who left the body.

"Clear the gate. Let me through." Mary ordered. The guards only somewhat did as they were told. She still couldn't see anything.

"No signs if the culprit majesty. Horizon is clear." One of them said.

"Can you see anything?" She asked.

"Appears to be a woman majesty, noble from her dress. Should we bring her in?" A man on the wall yelled down.

"A woman?" She asked.

"Mary we should really go back inside." Said Bash.

"Enough Bash!" She yelled.

"Can you see anything else?" She yelled back up to the man who was still looking through a spy glass.

"I don't..." he adjusted it and squinted. "She seems...she seems to be wearing a crown majesty." He said.

"Did you say a crown?" She asked.

"Yes majesty."

"Move!" She yelled at the guards everyone out of the way! I need to see!" She said. Still she didn't ask them to open the gate. They moved from infront of the gate to give Mary a clear sight of vision. From where she was all she could see was the top of her head. A tuft of blonde hair and a bit of sparkle from a crown. Her stomach dropped. It couldn't be. They hadn't the means to do that...did they? She started walking toward the gate slowly. Inching along, scared of what she would find when she got there. Her breathing became laboured and she swallowed.

"Is that...?" Greer began. Mary couldn't see her face. She couldn't see much at all, but she felt it in her bones.

"Catherine." Mary whispered. Then she yelled tonthe guards. "Open the gate! Open it now!"


	7. Lock Down

Mary suddenly remembered the letter Catherine sent ' _Someone has gotten into the habit of leaving dead animals at the gates..._ ', it had said.

"No." she breathed to herself. As soon as they opened the gate Mary started running toward it. James ran in front of her.

"Mary are you mad, this is exactly what they want, it's a trap!" he warned.

"I don't care!" she yelled. "I'm not leaving her out there. It's Catherine." she moved around him and continued toward the gate. She slowed a bit when she got close enough to see her. She took a deep breath, praying for just a moment that she might have been wrong. She took another step and looked closer. She wasn't wrong. She ran to her, kneeling beside her.

"Oh , God." she breathed. She reached to feel for a pulse, a breath, anything. Her hand found it's way to her neck where she could feel the shallow beats of a her blood pulsing through her veins. "She's alive!" Mary yelled to the on lookers. Bash started running toward them, followed by James and a handful of guards. "It's okay Catherine, you're going to be okay." she whispered to her. "Get her to the infirmary at once!" she yelled as they approached and started to pick Catherine up off the ground. The guards took her inside the gates with James, while Bash stopped Mary for a second.

"She'll be okay, she's Catherine." he said, assuring her. She nodded and took off after the guards.

"Lock everything down again. Send out a few guards at a time to check the perimeter. I want to know how they got this close without anyone seeing them." she told the guard on the wall, before making her way to the infirmary.

Mary, Bash, Greer and James filed in behind the guards as they laid Catherine down on the infirmary bed.

"Alright, out. Everyone back to your posts." James spouted at them. The guards left as the physician came in. A tall, thin, older man, with greying hair and kind eyes.

"What happened to her?" he asked.

"I don't know." Mary said, wringing her hands. "She won't wake, but I can't see any wounds."

"Mary this is bad, the people are going to think we can't protect them. When they see how far these rebels can reach, they will panic. Maybe even turn against you." James said.

"Not to mention, if Knox finds out Catherine is here, she'll never survive the night. She's a sitting duck." Bash said. Mary thought on it a moment.

"James go out there and find out where we stand. Figure out what the court is thinking so we can better approach the situation. He nodded and left. She turned back to the physician, who had been examining Catherine as they spoke.

"She has a large bump on her head, but I'm not convinced that's the cause of her state of unconsciousness." he said.

"But without any wounds that could only mean..." she bagan.

"Poison." he finished, "Yes, the irony is not lost on me." the three of them looked at him oddly. "Yes, I am aware of her...reputation. But then again her reputation also says she has fangs...and I can see that isn't true. Don't worry majesty. I'll take good care of her."

"If it is poison, then what do we do? Without knowing what kind it is, we can't very well fashion a remedy." Mary asked.

"I may be able to deduce what was given by her symptoms. It's true more than one poison can cause similar symptoms but it will give us a better shot. I'll have to do a more thorough examination." he said.

"But what if the poison she was given is fatal? She could be dead by then." Mary questioned.

"I'm sorry majesty, but without any further clues, I can't possibly anything more." he said. She nodded. "I'll call for you as soon as I know something."

"That's alright. I'm staying right here." she said.

"Mary this could take time, you have to deal with the court and whoever is threatening you." Greer said. "I won't leave her. This is my fault. You should go and get you and your daughter settled Greer. I'll be alright." she put a hand on her shoulder and then left. Mary sat in the chair next to the bed and took Catherine's hand. "I'm so sorry."

"Mary this isn't your fault." Bash said.

"Isn't it? I was so sure they couldn't get inside these walls I never thought that they might be trying to get into hers instead.

"You think it's the same people that are coming for you?" he asked.

"Think about it, the rebel forces were depleting here. We thought they had lost men, when really they'd just gone to France to get Catherine. Then there's this." she said, pulling the letter Catherine wrote from her pocket. Bash looked at it.

"Dead animals. They were using them as a test run." he said. She nodded. "And if Catherine is here now, that also means that the rebel forces are back at full capacity."Then James returned, along with Greer.

"The court is starting to stir without knowing what is happening, whether or not they should be afraid." said Greer.

"No one is panicking yet, but a few are already whispering about who was left at our gate. It won't be long before Knox gets wind of this." he said.

"Not long indeed, because you are going to go out there and tell the court exactly who she is and why she's here." she said.

"What?" James wondered.

"We need to make sure we inform them before Knox does. The last thing I need is my people thinking that I'm deceiving them."

"But then he will come for her." Bash said.

"No he won't, because James is gong to go out there and he is going to announce that Catherine de Medici..." she paused and swallowed before the last part. "is dead. That will keep her safe from Knox until we can get her healed and on a boat back to France."

"What if he see through that and comes up here anyway?" Greer asked.

"We lock down the castle on the inside as well as the outside. No one goes anywhere except their own rooms and the common areas. We block off routs to the west wing, the stables, any unoccupied parts of the castle and this room. Only servants in the kitchen and laundry areas." she said.

"But won't people get suspicious." Greer wondered.

"Why should they? We clearly have traitor in our midst that needs to be weeded out. How else would these rebels know to go after Catherine? Who would know how close we were?"

"Unless there is a spy in the castle." James finished.

"Someone has clearly been reading my mail." she said.

"Alright, but shouldn't you address the court? Announcing the death of a monarch seems like something a Queen should do." Bash said.

"No. James will tell the court that I am keeping myself in solitude because I am mourning. That will explain any absence." Mary told them. "Once we Catherine is safely back in France, then we can tell everyone the truth...that we lied to weed out the traitor." Mary turned to the physician.

"Can I trust you with this?" She asked.

"I have been this court's physician since the before your father's reign. I am loyal to the crown majesty." He said.

"Good, but just in case, you will be hanged if you breath a word of this." She warned. She opened the door and addressed the guards outside it. "We are increasing the lock down. No one comes in this room except those that are already inside it. Not for any reason. Not even other guards unless one of us says so. Bash will explain the rest of my orders."

Bash stepped outside to speak with them and James left to address tbe court.

"It so strange to think. She must have been taken just after I left." Said Greer.

"That's right, you were just there. If you saw her before you left, that means she was brought straight here. Did anything seem off whennlast you saw her?" Mary asked.

"No. Not at all." Greer said.

"So she was given the poison sometime in the last 5 days. Does that help?" She asked.

"It might narrow it down." He said.

"Is there anything else you remember that might help?" She wondered.

"I'm sorry." She said, shaking her head.

"Alright. Go help Bash and James. I'll be here if you do think of something." Mary said. When Greer had gone, she sat down again and took Catherine's hand. "Please don't die." She begged.


	8. Laying Down

After the physician had done all he could he decided to take his leave and give Mary some time alone.

"Until something changes there isn't anything more i can do for her. I'll give you some time. I can go read some of my books on poison so I can know what it is as soon as we have more information." he said. She nodded as he left the room.

It was too quiet now. Just her and Catherine's unconscious form. She could not let herself escape the fact that Catherine could die, and it could be all for no other reason than because she cared about her. Just like Francis and Lola, and even Aylee. All had lost their lives simply because they were close to her. Simply because she loved them.

"Catherine please. I need you to wake up. This wasn't supposed to happen." she said as a tear fell. "Don't worry, take your time, I'll be right here when you wake up." She held Catherine's hand to her face and then kissed it.

A few hours passed and it was now dark. Mary had not left her side, even having her dinner brought to her there. Not that she was able to eat much of it. All she could think of was the fact that even though she was so close to Catherine, she was still so far away. If she died here, it would be no different than if she'd died in France, she wouldn't get to say goodbye. No, she couldn't let that happen. She had to find a way. She started digging through the physicians desk looking for paper and and a quill. After a moment of digging she found it and she began to write a letter.

 _Dearest Catherine,_

 _I'm sitting here watching you sleep, not knowing if you will ever wake again, and knowing that it is my fault. That you are only here because of me. That our relationship is the only reason they have done this awful thing to you. If you are holding this letter and reading it, then my prayers have been answered, but if you are hearing these words in heaven where, regardless of what you may think, I know one day you will be, then fate has been cruel and unfair. You don't deserve to die this way. A Queen, especially one as strong as you, should not have to die cold and alone and away from her home, sickened by a poison that, by cruel irony, you could probably cure yourself of if you would only wake up. The world would simply be a lesser place without you in it. France needs you...I need you._

 _Your Loving Daughter,_

 _Mary_

Mary dropped the quill then as a tear splashed off the letter. She wiped her face and made her way back to Catherine's side. She placed her hands on both her shoulder as the tears fell harder.

"I need you, Catherine. Please wake up. I cannot loose anymore people I love...not now...not like this. I cannot bare your blood on my hands. Please mother." she said as touched her face. Almost as if on cue, her eyes began to flutter open.

"Catherine?"

"M...Mary?" She sputtered out quietly. A bit disoriented.

"It's okay. You're safe." she assured.

"How...how did I get here?" she asked.

"I was hoping you could tell me. Someone dumped you outside the gates. We think they may have poisoned you." she told her.

"How long have I been out?" she wondered.

"I'm not sure exactly. We found you only this morning, but lord knows how long you were out before then. What's the last thing you remember?" she asked. Catherine shook her head trying to remember.

"I saw Greer off to the boat then I went back to the castle. I...I was headed back to my rooms...I don't remember getting there. I think I remember waking up for a moment later. I heard a man's voice but..." she said as she tried to sit up. Mary stopped her and made her lay back down.

"Don't do that. We don't know what they gave you yet. My physician has gone off to read some books on poisons to help figure it out, but without any other symptoms he says it could be more than one thing." she told her.

"There is another symptom." she told her.

"What do you mean? You look alright, and the physician checked..." she began.

"I mean I can't feel my legs." she said. Mary's eyes grew wide.

"My God." she gasped. "I need to fetch the physician at once and tell him." she said as she started to stand. Catherine reached out a hand to stop her.

"There's no need. I already know what they gave me." Catherine said.

"But you just said you don't remember anything." she pointed out.

"I don't need to. I know the effects, though I've never used it myself as it is a long and terrible way to die. I usually like my poisons quick. No time for cures and no suffering." she explained.

"Does that mean you know of a cure?" Mary asked. Catherine nodded.

"Yes. I know how to cure it." she said.

"Oh thank God. Tell me what to get and I'll have the physician fetch it at once." She asked as she picked up some paper to write a list on.

"Most of the ingredients are quite common. All but one. Iris flowers." she said.

"What do you mean? Irises grow on nearly every roadside in France." she said.

"In France...but when was the last time you saw an Iris here in Scotland?" Catherine asked. Mary stopped to think a moment.

"I don't think I ever have." she said sadly as she put down the paper and sat back down next to her. "They made sure they gave you a poison that could not be cured here."

"So that you could watch me die...slowly and painfully." she said.

"No." Mary whispered, taking her hand.


	9. Lists

"There must be something we can do. This can't be it." Mary said. "You can't be...You are Catherine de Medici, this is not how you die. I won't let it be. If I have learned anything from you it is that there is always a way."

"Not this time Mary." Catherine said.

"Always means always. And I will not rest until I find it." she told her. Just then the door creaked open. It was Bash.

"Mary the...Catherine you're awake." he said. He breathed in relief. "Thank God."

"Don't thank him just yet." Catherine said. He furrowed his brow.

"It seems as though whatever poison she was given does have a cure after all. A rather easy one to make actually." Mary said.

"Well, then what's the problem?" he wondered.

"It seems the main ingredient is iris flowers. Flowers which, unfortunately, do not grow naturally in Scotland." Mary explained.

"Well then, we just send her home..." he began.

"I suggested the same, but Catherine says the poison would take her before she reached France." Mary elaborated. "We need those flowers and we have less than five days to find them."

"I have to hand it to them, poisoning me with something where the cure is made from, not only a flower that can't be found in the country they dropped me in, but also one that happens to be my favorite, is a master craft in irony." Catherine scoffed. Bash furrowed his brow in thought.

"They may not be native to Scotland, but if someone were to plant seeds would they not grow here?" he said.

"Why would a Scot go to so much trouble just to obtain seeds from French flowers?" Catherine said.

"A Scot probably wouldn't, but a Frenchman might. Are there not plenty of French nobles living in Scotland as well as soldiers who stayed after we pulled the French troops? Maybe they brought some with them." Bash suggested.

"Of course. Bash. Go to James and help him make up lists of all the known French households in the area. Have the guards visit every house on those lists and search their gardens. If you find none, ask them if they know of anyone else who may have the flowers. If you do find them, bring back as many as you can carry, just in case. And in the meantime, have the physician start gathering the rest of the ingredients so that we are ready as soon as you bring them. I'll have Catherine write them down." she ordered. Bash nodded and left the room quickly. She turned to get a piece of paper and brought it back to Catherine and sat next to her again. "I will search every corner of Scotland, I promise." she said as she handed her the paper.

"I have no doubt that you will, but you shouldn't get your hopes up." When Catherine was done scribbling down the list, Mary sat the paper down on the bedside table for when the physician returned.

"You mustn't give up hope. Bash will..." Mary began.

"Yes, Bash will do whatever you ask of him and more...but no matter what you command, you can't make them find something that isn't there." Catherine interrupted.

"Catherine..." she said as though something should follow, but nothing did. Catherine reached up and touched her face.

"It is good to see you Mary." Catherine said, changing the subject. She could see it was upsetting her. Mary half smiled at her and put her hand over Catherine's.

"It's good to see you too." she said. Catherine smiled back. The pysician then walked back in the room.

"You called for me your majesty?" He asked.

"Yes. Here is a list of the items you need for the antidote. My men will be out looking for the final ingredient. I need you to have these ready when they return." She said handing him the list.

"Of course majesty." He said as he took the list and bowed, then left the room once again. Once he was gone, Mary turned back to Catherine.

"Is there anything else I can do? Anything at all that might help?" She asked.

"Is there anything around here that might pass for food?" She asked. Mary smiled and tried to hold back a small laugh.

"Are you ever not hungry?" Mary wondered.

"Not that comes to mind." She answered with a smile.

"I'll have to go get something myself since no one knows you're here. I'll be right back." Mary said as she stood.

"Oh Mary, I've heard about Scottish cuisine, please nothing made from parts of the animal one would be more inclined to feed pigs." Catherine specified. Mary couldn't hold back her laugh this time.

"I have missed you Catherine." She said as she left the room.

After a few moments, Catherine noticed a letter on the floor. Obviously having been knocked off the desk when Mary grabbed some paper for her to write the list on. From where she was, she could clearly see her name written at the top. Curious, she leaned over and tried to grab the letter. In doing so, she fell off the bed and onto her left side with a thud. Knowing there was no way she could possibly get back on the bed herself without the use if her legs, she used her arms to pull herself back up to a sitting position and propped her back up against the desk.

Without anything to do but wait for Mary to return, she picked the letter up and began to read it. As her eyes poured over the page, they began to tear up. Never had anyone said anything like that to her before. Even her own children would not show her as much emotion. She turned the letter over and began writing a reply.

 _Dearest Daughter,_

 _It's not your fault._

 _I'm not alone._

 _My HEART would be a lesser place without YOU in it._

 _Love Always,_

 _Catherine_


	10. Loyalty

Mary re-entered the infirmary to find Catherine on the floor. Tears stained her face.

"Oh God, Catherine are you alright?" she said as she sat a plate of food on a table and rushed to her. She knelt down beside her and looked her over for injuries.

"I'm fine, I'm okay." she said as Mary continued to look her over. "Alright, enough. I said I'm fine." she added pulling away a little.

"Then why are you on the floor? And why were you crying?" she asked wiping a tear from her face. Catherine didn't answer, only handed her the letter. Mary looked at it and realized she'd read it, then Catherine turned it over to reveal her reply. Mary read it. Mary cocked her head to the side a bit when she looked back at her. Catherine could see that once again she didn't need to speak. Mary understood. Mary leaned in and hugged her. Catherine squeezed her hand.

"Let me get Bash to get you off the floor." Mary said, standing back up. Catherine nodded.

"Don't worry I won't go anywhere." Catherine replied. Mary knew she was only joking about the fact that she couldn't walk, but all she could think was that 'going anywhere' could also mean dying and it stung. She swallowed hard and tried to smile as she left the room.

《《》》

"Maybe we should we lay some pillows on the floor?" Bash jested as he placed her back on the bed. She rolled her eyes.

"I am not going to fall off the bed again." She said.

"Are you sure? How did you fall off in the first place?" he asked.

"It doesn't matter." she said. Oddly she felt strange to tell him the truth.

"Well then maybe I should..." he began. She shot him an angry look. "Alright." he added, holding up his hands in defeat.

"Have you apprised the guards of their task?" Mary interrupted. Bash turned to face her.

"Yes. At first light a team will go out knocking on doors. Then they will come back and rotate out with another team and so on. This way we will always have men guarding here without stopping the search until we find the flowers." he said.

"Or until I'm dead." Catherine added.

"Catherine, no, don't..." Mary started to say, but was cut off.

"Mary, it's good to have some hope, but we must be realistic about this. If you don't find it in time...well." she said. "And if that does happen, I need the two of you to promise me something."

"Anything." Mary said. Bash nodded in agreement.

"If I don't make it, someone needs to take care of my children. Charles cannot rule on his own and I cannot trust Narcisse to be loyal, no matter how much he swears he's changed. The two of you are the only ones I know will never betray them." she reached her hand out toward Mary and Mary took it. "Please make sure he has someone at his side he can trust."

"Don't worry. He'll have me. At least until he finds a good advisor, or comes of age." Bash assured.

"But you need to stay here...Mary." she said.

"It's okay. I have my brother and Greer. I'll be alright." she said, squeezing her hand.

"I think it's time I went home anyway, don't you?" he said. She smiled a little and nodded.

"I'm going to get some rest, I'm in the first team out in the morning." he said as he turned to Mary. She nodded and he left the room. Mary sat back down next to Catherine's bed.

"You should get some rest too." Catherine said.

"I can rest right here." Mary said.

"Mary..."

"You're not the only one who can be stubborn." she stopped her. Catherine breathed out a small laugh. "And speaking of Charles, we should probably write to him and let him know what's going on." Catherine nodded. Mary stood and went to the desk, pulling out paper.

 _Dear Charles,_

 _I'm sure by now you've realized your mother has gone missing. I'd like to tell you not to worry, but I cannot. She is here with me in Scotland. An enemy of mine has poisoned her and dropped her on my doorstep. She still lives as I write this. We are looking for a cure, but the situation does not look good for her. I will do everything in my power to rid her of this poison and send her home to you, but if I cannot, know that I am here to help you in any way I can. I remain loyal. I will never give up on France, on my home, on my family._

 _MarieR_

《《》》

The next day's search turned up nothing, and Bash had returned defeated. Two parties left and returned after him, and still nothing. The first day was nearly over already. The sun was already fading into the night. Mary was pacing the floor of the infirmary with dark circles starting to form under her eyes. 'It's only the first day.' Bash had said to her when he'd told her the bad news. As if that was supposed to make it better.

"Mary, could you please sit down. Wearing a hole in the floor isn't going to help anyone." she said.

"How can you just be so calm about all of this? Since when do you give up so easily when your life is on the line?" she asked.

"Because there is nothing to give up on, I can't exactly go and help them look can I? Besides, we can't both fall to pieces..." she paused a moment then added. "I'll take my turn when you're done." Mary tried desperately not to laugh at her comment, it felt wrong to laugh at such a moment, but she let out a small one despite herself anyway.

"How do you always know exactly what to say all the time?" she asked, finally sitting down.

"Too bad no one ever listens." she said. "Can you hand me that water." she pointed to a cup on the table. Mary held it out to her as she attempted to sit up a little to take it from her. Only to realize she couldn't. She furrowed her brow...no. She could no longer feel her hips and waist.

"Catherine?" Mary was instantly worried.

"Seems the poison is spreading." she said. They exchanged a knowing look. Suddenly Mary's legs stopped working as well and she had to sit again. This was really happening and she couldn't stop it.


End file.
